Question: Let $\omega$ be a complex number such that $\omega^7 = 1$ and $\omega \ne 1.$  Compute
\[\omega^{16} + \omega^{18} + \omega^{20} + \dots + \omega^{54}.\]
Answer: First, we can take out a factor of $\omega^{16}$:
\[\omega^{16} + \omega^{18} + \omega^{20} + \dots + \omega^{54} = \omega^{16} (1 + \omega^2 + \omega^4 + \dots + \omega^{38}).\]By the formula for a geometric series,
\[\omega^{16} (1 + \omega^2 + \omega^4 + \dots + \omega^{38}) = \omega^{16} \cdot \frac{1 - \omega^{40}}{1 - \omega^2}.\](Note that this expression is valid, because $\omega \neq 1$ and $\omega \neq -1.$)

Since $\omega^7 = 1,$
\[\omega^{16} \cdot \frac{1 - \omega^{40}}{1 - \omega^2} = \omega^2 \cdot \frac{1 - \omega^5}{1 - \omega^2} = \frac{\omega^2 - \omega^7}{1 - \omega^2} = \frac{\omega^2 - 1}{1 - \omega^2} = \boxed{-1}.\]